Starbucks Reserve bar is now selling alcohol in Japan

Following the opening of its first coffee bar in Japan, Seattle-based Starbucks has announced its plans to launch another in Osaka. The new Starbucks Reserve bar aims to please their evening crowds with a menu of beverages spiked with alcohol.

Ten different kinds of alcoholic drinks and seven food items will be available, including a Coffee Steep Beer and Espresso Tonic—both of which are priced at JP¥820 (CDN$9.68).

Starbucks Canada began serving beer and wine last year in Vancouver, after launching its bar menu at a few locations in Toronto and Ottawa. This new bar in Japan is part of Starbucks’ push to attract more customers in the late afternoon and evening, rather than just be a stopover for morning coffee. Starbucks sells alcohol in about 250 stores worldwide, but this is the first such outlet in Asia.

Not to be left out, non-alcohol drinkers will be delighted to know that the bar also serves other upmarket coffees that don’t contain alcohol. Notably, the Nitro Cold Brew Coffee promises extra depth and a more velvety texture, thanks to the nitrogen infused in it.

The new Starbucks Reserve bar, which is located in LUCUA mall in Osaka, opened on 1 April 2018. And interestingly enough, this location will feature a counter where patrons can huddle around to strike a conversation with the bartender—or in this case, the barista.

If you’re wondering just when you’ll be able to wander into your own Starbucks Reserve bar after a hard day at the office, it will take some time. Reserve Roasteries, which serve as the de facto hub for all Reserve and Princi operations, are set to open in New York and Milan within the next year, and Chicago and Tokyo in 2019.

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Daniel Swanick has been working as both a freelance and in-house Art Director / Senior Graphic Designer in the Greater Toronto Area for over ten years. He looks at every project from both a creative and strategic point-of-view to deliver engaging, conceptually driven ideas.